I’m sending this message to share news of a sad and very unfortunate event which occurred in our school community. This morning we were informed of a tragic house fire that claimed the life of Brian Davis, a second grader at Bierbaum Elementary School. We are all deeply saddened by his death.

We have shared and discussed this information with other students at Bierbaum Elementary today. Bereavement counselors, teachers and other support staff have been and will continue to be available to all students, teachers and parents. Please contact the school if you have any questions or concerns.

Parents in our district, and especially those with children who knew Brian, may want to talk to your children about death. Kids react to such tragedies in a variety of ways depending on many things including their age, their prior experience with death and if they actually knew Brian. It is common for children to appear unaffected or to ask a lot of questions. They may appear angry or aggressive, withdrawn or moody, sad or depressed, or, they may become afraid and in some cases have difficulty sleeping or eating. Please understand and realize all these reactions are normal. Regardless of your child’s response, be prepared to listen and answer questions in a simple and honest manner. It’s not uncommon for children to ask the same questions repeatedly.

We will work together as a school community to care for the family and all who are affected by Brian’s death. Bierbaum Elementary maintains a very compassionate and nurturing environment filled with adults who care deeply about all children. As we work through this sad news we should all keep our thoughts and prayers with the Davis family.